Seven community members have been named Directors Emeriti by the Person-to-Person Board – Wilder Gleason (Darien), Judy Kilmartin (Darien), Judy Nemec (Greenwich), Patricia Phillips (Stamford), Jan Smith (Darien), William Taggart (New Canaan) and Rebecca Wilson (Stamford).

Wilder Gleason has been involved with Person-to-Person as a volunteer since his daughter helped start the Youth Group almost 20 years ago. In 2008, Gleason joined the P2P Board and hit the ground running, working on the Finance Committee, serving as chair of the Emergency Assistance Committee and leading the Building Committee for renovation of the Darien facility before moving into the position of Board President. Under his Board leadership P2P successfully completed a merger with CCA in Norwalk. Given his love of and commitment to the agency, Gleason decided to stay on after stepping down as President, serving as a contributing member of the Development Committee before heading up the committee implementing plans to deliver P2P programs and services to more people in the Stamford community.

Judy Kilmartin worked with Person-to-Person for more than 26 years, sitting as an ex officio Board member through most of that time until her retirement in 2010. Beginning as the Volunteer Coordinator, Kilmartin rose to the position of Director of Volunteers and Assistant Director. She currently serves as an unofficial advisor to both the Director of Volunteers and the Executive Director, as well as a goodwill ambassador for P2P in the community. Kilmartin continues to volunteer on fundraising committees and in the Darien Food Pantry.

Judy Nemec is a past Board President at Person-to-Person whose involvement and contributions have been extensive. Nemec was instrumental in bringing Harvard Business School Community Partners to P2P for their first exhaustive, pro bono review of the agency in 2009. Nemec has served on the Volunteer Council and as a member of the Scholarship Committee and is a current volunteer on the Programs Committee. She has been the heart and soul of the Campership Program, chairing the Campership Committee for many years. A dedicated volunteer, Judy continues to fill shifts as a receptionist in the Norwalk and Darien offices of P2P.

Patricia Phillips joined the Person-to-Person Advisory Council in 2005 and was invited to become a Board member in 2006. In 2008, she served on the Capital Campaign Committee which met its fundraising goal at the height of the recession. Her dedication to the work of P2P in assisting low-income individuals and families, who need a helping hand and are struggling to make ends meet, is reflected in her continued service on the P2P Development and Finance committees. Over the years, Phillips has hosted numerous friendraisers to advance the P2P mission and expand awareness of the agency’s programs and services. She is a committed philanthropist and nonprofit guru who has been a strong advocate for P2P in the Stamford community.

Jan Smith is a former member of OPUS for Person-to-Person, from its founding days. She is also a former Secretary, Vice President and President of the P2P Board. During her presidency, Smith oversaw the decision to renovate the Darien site and led the capital campaign to fund the renovation. Smith chaired the Scholarship Committee for several years, hosting the annual reception to honor graduating P2P Scholars at her home. She is still active on the Programs Committee and is the head of a scholarship candidates interview team.

William Taggart is a former Person-to-Person Board member who served on the financial committees. As the Endowment Committee chair in 2008, Taggart was a calm voice of reason and held the committee steady when the endowment fund plummeted during the recession. He did not “immortalize the losses,” instead directing that P2P hold the portfolio steady, a move that allowed the portfolio to rebound over time to its current position. Taggart remains active on the Finance, Development and Endowment committees and P2P benefits from his involvement and guidance.

Rebecca Wilson joined the Person-to-Person Board in 2007 after serving on the Scholarship Committee for several years. In her time on the Board, Wilson was instrumental in keeping the agency focused on its missions and ensuring that P2P continues to do all it can to serve clients with dignity and respect in a culturally-competent manner. During her tenure as chair of the Scholarship Committee, she instituted significant changes in scholar selection, revising the application forms to be more inclusive and creating a point system for evaluation of the candidates. In her role as Board Vice President, Wilson oversaw the most recent strategic plan that envisions serving a larger number of Stamford clients, bringing that plan forward for ratification by the Board. She has been an incredible spokesperson for P2P and continues to serve in a volunteer capacity on the Programs Committee.

[Pictured Above L-R: William Taggart; Jan Smith; Judy Kilmartin; Rebecca Wilson]

Hannah Wool
Hannah Wool